Birmingham Institute of Art and Design

Designed by John Henry Chamberlain, Birmingham School of Art was completed in 1885. The prints and frontispiece in this collection were created by staff at the Birmingham Institute of Art and Design’s School of Fine Art as part of the celebrations to mark the centenary of the erection of the building in Margaret Street that were organised by Jean Vaudeau.

Birmingham Government School of Design first opened in 1843 at Somerset House, where basic drawing and painting skills were taught. The school changed its name in 1853 becoming the Birmingham Government School of Ornamental Art - shortened to just the School of Art. The School of Art adopted the National Course of Instruction, a 23 stage programme for teaching art and design developed by Henry Cole. This teaching proved very popular and due to problems with overcrowding in classes, the school moved to larger premises in 1858. The school quickly outgrew these new premises as well. However, it was not until 1877 with the appointment of Edward R Taylor as the Head of the school that he pushed for a move to larger facilities. His persuasion, growing numbers of students as well as good examination results, succeeded in convincing the Birmingham Committee to sponsor the building of new premises.

In 1884 the school became Birmingham Municipal School of Arts and Crafts - the first municipal school in the country and moved to the new premises designed by John Chamberlain in Margaret Street, Birmingham. The influence of the Arts and Crafts Movement - which had always been popular in Birmingham and the needs of the local employers and employees caused a change in the direction teaching began to take at the school at this time. Although drawing and painting continued to be important, more practical based courses and teaching were developed for example in metalworking, needlework, and stained glass. Obviously these practical subjects needed much more space and equipment for them to take place, so an extension was built to the school in 1892.

In 1890 to serve specifically the needs of the local jewellery trade, the Vittoria Street School of Jewellery and Silversmithing was opened in the heart of the Jewellery quarter. Robert Catterson-Smith was head of this school until 1903, where upon he became the Head of the School of Art due to Taylor's retirement. Arthur Gaskin took all the head-ship at the School of Jewellery, where he remained for the next twenty years. The schools success continued at its new home, and Birmingham students gained great success in many National Government Prizes and Awards. A system of elementary Branch schools teaching art and design to children from as young as 12 in Birmingham, had first been started in the mid 1850s. The success of these continued to grow with 15 such schools existing in across Birmingham in 1900.

Enrolments continued to increase until the First World War, after which the School became the College of Art and Design. Initial plans made in 1933, were finally completed in 1964 after the Second World War when further new premises were built at Gosta Green to accommodate new design departments. The College of Art and Design continued to be independent until 1971, when along with five other Birmingham colleges it was merged to form the City of Birmingham Polytechnic. In 1975 three further colleges joined the Polytechnic and 1988 saw Bournville College of Art also join. This resulted in Birmingham Institute of Art and Design being created, which incorporates Bournville College of Art, School of Art at Margaret Street and the Gosta Green facility. The polytechnic was formally designated a university as the University of Central England in Birmingham (UCE) in 1992. It was renamed Birmingham City University in 2007.